"The facts of the incident as we know them raise serious questions about the operation of the city Police Department," Cooper said.

According to the notice, Tartaglia had been dispatched on the evening of Nov. 16, 2012, to the woman's home, where he found her suffering extreme emotional distress. But after escorting her to his patrol car, papers filed with the city say he drove her to Read School on Ezra Street, where he repeatedly made sexual advances and sexual requests.

The documents say the woman rejected the officer's advances, but he then drove her to a secluded area near a cemetery, where he continued to sexually harass her by requesting sexual favors and making sexual comments. After parking his police cruiser at the cemetery, documents allege, Tartaglia exited the car, removed his police duty belt and intimidated and forced the woman to perform oral sex on him. After assaulting her, Tartaglia drove the woman home, according to the suit notice.

The woman filed a formal complaint with the Police Department two days later.

Police sources said Tartaglia was out of contact for some time after he reported that he made contact with the woman. Cooper said his client, an aspiring singer, was emotionally troubled when the call was made to police, and her mental state made her particularly vulnerable.

"We would like to know why a decision was made to send a lone male officer to a call of a woman in distress, and why no ambulance was requested," Cooper said.

The city's Office of Internal Affairs recently completed its investigation of the incident and referred the case to the city's Board of Police Commissioners. Tartaglia has been on administrative duty since the woman filed her complaint. Police officials did not immediately comment Wednesday on the case.